Chad Rittgers ’01
Chad Rittgers ’01, San Francisco Regional Council member and president of the SU Alumni Club of Northern California, describes himself as a “business development junkie.”
With more than 12 years of experience in domestic and international marketing, project management, and sales, Rittgers is a consultant in strategic digital marketing and business development for startups and small businesses in Silicon Valley.
“I have a true passion for business growth, cross-channel innovation, and technology disruption,” says Rittgers, a graduate of the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics and the Whitman School of Management—and the first person in his family to earn a college degree. “I am always looking for my next venture.”
Rittgers credits Syracuse University with giving him a strong foundation on which to build his career, the chance to make lifelong friends, an open mind about life, and a deep respect for lake-effect snow—even though he thought he learned everything there is to know about frozen precipitation growing up in New England.
During his senior year, an apprenticeship in London working on the early stages of the Virgin.net worldwide launch was invaluable, giving him real-world experience in overseas business practices and culture in other countries. “To this day, I am more open-minded from traveling, and that aids me in my personal and professional dealings,” he says.
SU’s vibrant alumni network in the Bay Area has proven to be especially beneficial to Rittgers. “We are in the heart of Silicon Valley, surrounded by the tech industry, and the area breeds successful entrepreneurs—many of whom are SU alumni,” he says. “You can connect with fellow alums at big companies like Google, Apple, LinkedIn, or Oracle, or at small startups. It’s great to know you have a strong SU alumni network to rely on.”
Keeping that SU connectedness going is important to him. “I want to make sure current and future students get the same experience with greater results, knowing there are SU alumni here to help them,” he says.